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What are the top illustration schools in North Carolina for 2022?
| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of North Carolina, Charlotte | Charlotte |
| 2 | East Carolina University | Greenville |
Our 2022 ranking of the top illustration schools in North Carolina. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
1. University of North Carolina, Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina
The College of Arts + Architecture (COA+A) at University of North Carolina Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) serves more than 1,000 students enrolled in 33 degrees and concentrations across the School of Architecture and four departments including Art and Art History, Music, Dance, and Theatre. The COA+A Department of Art and Art History has four undergraduate degree programs, three major options, and an Art History Minor. At the graduate level, the Department has a Graduate Certificate Program in Teaching for Art Education.
Housed in the Rowe Arts Building, the Department of Art and Art History provides access to three exhibition spaces including Rowe Lower Gallery, Side Gallery, and Upper Gallery. Students in the Department also have access to Rowe 3D Studio, Rowe Digital Fabrication Lab (RoFL), the Print Media Lab, Macy Graphic Design Computer Lab, Lighting, Painting, and Ceramics Studios, performance spaces, and Rowe Recital Hall.
All Art and Art History students have the opportunity to join on-campus organizations such as the American Institute of Graphic Arts Student Chapter, Cerama, and Art & Mindfulness. UNC Charlotte and the Department also lead a recurring Study Abroad Summer Program in Rome, Italy, and paid internship opportunities at local museums and performing arts centers.
Degree options for Illustrators include a BFA in Art with a Concentration in Illustration. This program requires 120 credit hours with 79 credit hours of courses within the Department of Art and Art History, and 33 credit hours in the Concentration. Course examples for the program include 2D and 3D Design, Topics in Illustration, Drawing I-II, Illustration: Media/Method, Mixed Media Painting, The Figure in Illustration, Digital Foundations, Illustration Sequence/Story, Figure and Anatomy, and Children’s Book Illustration.
In the final year of the program, students will complete the Senior Seminar and Illustration Projects courses worth six credit hours, and the BFA Portfolio Review, worth one credit hour. Final projects will be presented at the BFA Illustration Exhibition.
The Art BFA Programs at University of North Carolina Charlotte are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
University of North Carolina Charlotte is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Founded in 1946, the school serves more than 30,000 students making it the second largest university in North Carolina and the third largest in the 16-institution UNC System. University of North Carolina Charlotte offers 171 undergraduate majors leading to 79 bachelor's degrees, and 150 programs leading to 66 master's degrees and 24 doctoral degrees across seven academic colleges.
2. East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
The School of Art and Design (SoAD) at East Carolina University (ECU) is part of the College of Fine Arts & Communication. Housed in the Leo W. Jenkins Fine Arts Center (Jenkins Center), SoAD provides access to dedicated to graduate and undergraduate studios, the Wellington B. Gray Gallery, computer labs, seminar and lecture classrooms, and the Burroughs Wellcome Senior Gallery. Specialized production equipment for projects across disciplines is also housed in the Jenkins Center.
The SoAD Art BFA Program has 30-hour concentration in areas such as Illustration, Textile Design, Film and Video Production, Graphic Design, Animation/Interactive Design, and Printmaking. In addition to concentration options, SoAD offers interdisciplinary studios and coursework in Book Arts, Letterpress, and Community Arts. Students in all concentrations may participate in the internship and study abroad programs and the Senior Show.
Graduates of the Art BFA Program at East Carolina University will graduate with a portfolio of their best work.
East Carolina University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Founded as a teacher training school in 1907, ECU serves more than 26,700 students, making it the fourth largest institution in the University of North Carolina System. ECU offers more than 300 degree, minor, and certificate programs across 12 colleges and schools.